Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Guatemala

Name: Guatemala
Address: GT

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $791 in Guatemala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,255 in Guatemala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,719 in Guatemala, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 94% more than Guatemala on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 14% above the global median, while Guatemala is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Costa Rica spans $1,141–$2,107, Guatemala spans $112–$1,271. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ₡4,484

$5.81 Q 44.24

70.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.2K

$50.2 Q 382

19.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₡4,429

$6.60 Q 50.2

48.48%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ₡1,859

$3.38 Q 25.77

21.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₡951

$1.32 Q 10.09

59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₡770

$1.05 Q 7.99

61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,359

$3.18 Q 24.19

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡1,986

$5.27 Q 40.13

-16.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₡909

$1.96 Q 14.92

2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 ₡1,401

$2.65 Q 20.20

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,105

$1.78 Q 13.53

37.64%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,524

$2.26 Q 17.23

49.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 ₡4,127

$7.58 Q 57.7

20.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 ₡4,275

$8.17 Q 62.2

15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 ₡5,970

$9.98 Q 76.0

32.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,052

$3.74 Q 28.51

21.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡729

$1.69 Q 12.87

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,440

$3.15 Q 24.01

1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,387

$1.46 Q 11.11

110.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,346

$1.51 Q 11.50

97.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 ₡1,228

$1.83 Q 13.95

48.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡458

$0.80 Q 6.07

26.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₡1,102

$1.11 Q 8.45

119.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 ₡2,277

$3.80 Q 28.93

32.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.95 ₡7,205

$7.95 Q 60.5

100.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,063

$1.98 Q 15.08

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,228

$2.83 Q 21.56

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡438

$1.05 Q 8.00

-7.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.77 ₡22.5K

$13.11 Q 99.8

279.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₡855

$3.50 Q 26.64

-46.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡879

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ₡3,513

$9.98 Q 76.0

-22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡683

$1.11 Q 8.45

36.04%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.3K ₡16.9M

$18.0K Q 136.9K

107.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.7K ₡16.1M

$23.2K Q 176.7K

53.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$86.7 ₡39.2K

$58.1 Q 442

49.31%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.28 ₡11.4K

$28.71 Q 219

-11.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 ₡24.7K

$52.4 Q 399

4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.1K

$44.99 Q 343

28.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.25 ₡13.2K

$25.47 Q 194

14.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 ₡4,112

$6.37 Q 48.53

42.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$542 ₡244.9K

$257 Q 1,960

110.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.5M

$8,145 Q 62.0K

22.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 ₡33.3K

$50.2 Q 383

46.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 ₡24.5K

$51.9 Q 395

4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.9K

$101 Q 768

18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₡46.9K

$101 Q 771

2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 ₡360.9K

$676 Q 5,150

18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₡246.3K

$437 Q 3,326

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 ₡669.5K

$1,334 Q 10.2K

11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 ₡468.4K

$701 Q 5,339

47.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 ₡1.1M

$2,327 Q 17.7K

3.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡724.1K

$1,137 Q 8,654

41.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 ₡487.7K

$594 Q 4,521

81.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

8.71

20.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Costa Rica: June 8, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $777 in Costa Rica vs $221 in Guatemala. For reference, capital cities sit at $880 in San Jose and $733 in Guatemala City.

Average salary: $1,089 in Costa Rica vs $708 in Guatemala. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 252% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 53% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 1200% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 54% higher in Costa Rica, giving Guatemala stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Costa Rica vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guatemala is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 135% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Guatemala, contributing to the overall 135% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Guatemala, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Guatemala is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.